PDLP Chapter 58 Shannan Pavilion
Chapter 58 Shannan Pavilion
"...Nonsense! The purest fire spirit essence is clearly extracted from the depths of the subterranean fire!"
"No, no! Regardless of where it was collected, the age should be considered. Judging from its texture, this hundred-year-old Golden-Veined Fire Spirit Marrow is the finest!"
"What do you know? The true top-grade Fire Spirit Essence can only be created by being struck by lightning. Unfortunately, such a divine object can only be obtained by those with great fortune, and it is beyond the discernment of mortals like us..."
Upon hearing the words "Fire Spirit Marrow," Xia Mingduo said softly, "Senior Brother Zhou, they seem to be discussing the quality of the Fire Spirit Marrow."
Fang Yu stepped forward, smiling broadly as he cupped his hands in greeting to an elder: "Greetings, fellow Daoist. May I ask what brings you all to such a lively discussion?"
Seeing Fang Yu's extraordinary bearing and the equally distinguished companions, the man dared not be negligent and returned the greeting, saying, "Are you fellow Daoists esteemed disciples of the Changtian Sect? You may not know this, but not far ahead, there's a newly opened Shannan Pavilion specializing in spirit beast resources!"
"This Shannan Pavilion is quite lively today," another person chimed in. "A treasure appraisal conference is about to be held in this pavilion, specializing in the appraisal of various kinds of spiritual marrow. We were just arguing about which type of fire spiritual marrow is the best."
The elder continued, "This treasure appraisal competition is divided into two parts. In the first part, you must be able to identify the top-grade spiritual essence stored in the pavilion. If you win, you can advance to the second part, where you are rumored to have a chance to win the Ye family's secret treasures!"
"As a rare and highly valued material in the cultivation world, every cultivator has their own method of identification. It would be fair to use the quality of this item to compete."
"Shannan Pavilion? The Ye family?" Fang Yu's eyes flashed, and he asked, "I wonder who owns this Shannan Pavilion...?"
The young man beside him lowered his voice: "It's the Ye family from the Southern Continent. The owner of this Shannan Pavilion calls himself Young Master Ye, but he's not a man. He's an exceptionally beautiful woman. Compared to being shortlisted for this treasure appraisal event, being able to catch a glimpse of Young Master Ye's beauty is truly something to be envied, uh..."
As the young man spoke, he glanced at Xia Mingduo behind Fang Yu, and was momentarily speechless, seemingly never expecting to find such a beautiful and intelligent woman in the market.
Upon hearing this, Xia Mingduo pursed her lips slightly and stood behind Zhou Li without saying a word.
After bidding farewell to the cultivators, Zhou Li and his companions headed forward, intending to join the fun at Shannan Pavilion.
Along the way, Fang Yu introduced the mountain to Zhou Li and Xia Mingduo: "Brother Zhou, Junior Sister Xia, the mountain that Shannan Pavilion refers to is Tianling Mountain, which stretches across the continent and separates the north and south! To the north of Tianling Mountain are the five major sects, including my Changtian Sect, while to the south of the mountain is the Yuling Immortal Pavilion, which holds absolute dominance!"
"This Ye family is the power behind the Imperial Spirit Pavilion, renowned throughout the world for their beast-taming skills! This young master Ye must be extraordinary to be able to open a branch of the Shannan Pavilion here."
Zhou Li frowned upon hearing this. Because of the Soul Jade, he didn't have a good impression of the Spirit Pavilion. Ironically, it was because of the Soul Jade that he was able to obtain this spiritual body. It's truly unpredictable how things turn out.
The three turned their gaze to the east end of the boat, where a uniquely styled pavilion stood in the distance.
Unlike its surroundings, which are resplendent with gold and jade, this building is constructed with a foundation of giant wood and decorated with animal bones.
Above the pavilion, two enormous animal heads support a plaque inscribed with the three characters "Shannan Pavilion," exuding an air of refined elegance and restraint, yet an undeniable majesty.
Stepping into Shannan Pavilion, the hustle and bustle ceases, and a refreshing, cool fragrance permeates the air.
The pavilion was spacious, and the central display stands, each carved from a single piece of warm jade, were currently covered by a tarpaulin of unknown material, making them difficult to see clearly.
Several guards dressed in uniform dark-colored outfits stood silently in a corner, their gazes sweeping across the entire area; their cultivation levels were all above the Great Completion of Qi Refining. Several other servants in blue robes stood with their hands at their sides, their light steps demonstrating the imposing presence within the pavilion.
The pavilion was now full of guests, numbering no less than a hundred, most of whom were dressed smartly and had an extraordinary air about them.
However, everyone's attention was not focused on the priceless animal materials, but rather frequently turned to the depths of the hall.
There, a semi-transparent blue gauze curtain hung down, and behind the curtain, one could vaguely see a graceful figure reclining on a large chair covered with snow-white animal hide.
Even through the gauze curtain, her elegant posture and graceful figure were enough to captivate the heart and soul.
She didn't make any move, but the dignified demeanor that came from her family background enveloped the entire space like invisible ripples, making people dare not make a sound.
Just then, a voice came from behind the gauze curtain: "I am deeply honored to have fellow practitioners grace my Shannan Pavilion with their presence today."
A melodious voice clearly reached everyone's ears, its cool tone carrying a hint of gentleness. Just hearing it, one couldn't help but conjure up the image of an unparalleled beauty in their mind.
Young Master Ye continued, "The Ye family is holding this treasure appraisal event not only to appreciate treasures but also to gather with friends. We sincerely hope to share the wonders of the universe and contemplate the spirit of all things with you all. Please feel free to appreciate the treasures. The Ye family's modest gifts await those with affinity."
At this moment, a maid dressed in a pale yellow dress, with a charming yet solemn face, stepped out from behind the gauze curtain and stood beside the main seat, saying in a clear voice, "This servant is Qingyuan, greetings to all the talented gentlemen. The auspicious time has arrived, let the treasure appraisal begin."
Qingyuan slowly pulled down the tarpaulin on the central display stand and introduced to everyone: "A total of 108 original spiritual marrow embryos are displayed here, covering the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Among them, only a handful contain truly high-grade spiritual marrow."
"Everyone is welcome to come forward and take a look. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, whoever finds any one of these five superior-grade spiritual marrows will qualify for the second half of the treasure appraisal and will also receive the spiritual marrow of their choice as a prize!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a stick of incense began to burn in the incense burner.
Seeing this, everyone flocked to the warm jade display stands, where various spiritual essence embryos of different shapes and full of spiritual energy were casually placed.
In an instant, the light of various detection spells shone, and the power of spiritual thought swept across the area, with discussions and exclamations rising and falling.
Zhou Li was also slightly moved upon hearing this. Fire Spirit Marrow was exactly what was needed to feed the Fire Feather Crimson Kite. If he could find a high-grade or even top-grade one through this gathering, that would be the best outcome.
Behind the gauze curtain, Qingyuan frowned slightly and whispered in a voice that could only be heard by the two of them: "Miss, I'm afraid that such rules will allow those who are lucky but have little knowledge to gain an advantage for nothing."
"Look at that old man with the goatee, he's clearly just relying on that treasure-hunting artifact at his waist to try his luck..." Qingyuan said indignantly. "I think that young man in black robes is quite good. He claims to be a member of the Xiao family of the 'Jinyang Sect,' so he must have some real skills."
"These spirit marrows are all top-grade selections from the treasury. Wouldn't it be a waste to just give them away like this?"
The graceful figure moved slightly, and a slender hand emerged from the gap in the gauze curtain, gently picking up a white jade teacup.
She took a sip and said with a touch of nonchalance, "Qingyuan, you have to give to receive. These spiritual essences are indeed precious, but if we can use them to find someone to serve us, then it's worth it."
"For my Ye family, a few precious materials are nothing but external possessions. What is truly valuable is the pair of eyes that can see through illusions."
Qingyuan seemed to understand what he was saying, so she said no more. Instead, she scanned the crowd with sharper eyes, trying to find those who were taking advantage of the situation by luck.